We’re looking for an Account Director to lead and grow a portfolio of key client relationships at Great State. This is a senior client leadership role for someone who loves building strong partnerships, shaping smart digital strategy and helping clients make better decisions that drive real business impact. 

You’ll work closely with our Client Partners, Delivery Leads and studio teams to grow accounts, deliver ambitious digital work and build long-term, trusted client relationships at senior and C-suite level. 

What you’ll do 

• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and C-suite clients. 

• Act as a strategic partner, shaping direction, challenging thinking and helping clients make smarter digital decisions. 

• Own the growth and commercial performance of your accounts. 

• Spot and convert opportunities for account growth (up-sell and cross-sell). 

• Set a high bar for delivery quality across strategy, creative, technology and client service. 

• Coach and inspire teams to do ambitious, commercially smart work. 

• Help shape Great State’s profile through new business, pitches and industry presence. 

What we’re looking for 

• Proven experience leading senior client relationships in an agency or consultancy. 

• Strong strategic thinking, with the confidence to influence. 

• A solid track record of account growth and commercial performance. 

• Experience delivering complex digital products and services. 

• A collaborative leader who brings out the best in teams. 

• Calm under pressure, commercially sharp and comfortable navigating complex stakeholder environments. 

• Someone who is curious, ambitious and motivated by doing work that makes a real impact. 

Why Great State 

You’ll join a senior, ambitious team working on meaningful digital challenges for purpose-driven organisations. We care deeply about the quality of our work, how we treat each other and the impact we create for clients. You’ll have the space to shape strategy, grow accounts and influence how we work as an agency. 

We're looking for an enthusiastic Senior Delivery Manager to join our Bristol team. Delivery Managers are the backbone of project success here at Great State. We pride ourselves on delivering beautiful websites, apps, and technology solutions with inspired content and elegant user experience at the core. We work with clients such as Honda, The Royal Navy and Longleat to transform their digital offerings and capabilities. You’ll be responsible for the successful delivery of projects, from a quality, timing and commercial perspective, and work closely with the client, the Great State client relationship owner (Client Partner or Delivery Lead) and the wider internal teams. 

Reporting to one of our Delivery Leads, you will ensure that your projects are on track, utilising the most effective mix of skills and the most appropriate process and tools. As the day-to-day contact with our clients, the Delivery Manager needs to exercise tact and diplomacy, and understand the clients’ issues and needs – while at the same time protecting the interests of the business. 

With a natural interest in technological innovation, a highly skilled team of experts around you and a healthy training plan, you will succeed in keeping our client brands relevant in a connected world. In addition to an excellent salary, Great State offers a wide range of benefits and a fantastic team of people to work, learn and play with. 

Key responsibilities:

• Support the day-to-day delivery of digital projects, ensuring they run smoothly, stay on time, and meet quality standards
• Put the appropriate plans and measures in place to properly initiate your projects
• Plan and run clear, detailed internal and external project kick-offs, forming part of strong project initiation
• Collaborate with project teams and client stakeholders to plan and deliver against agreed roadmaps and project milestones
• Help define project scopes, schedules, budgets, and resource needs, escalating any risks early
• Create Statements of Work, estimates and project plans with guidance from senior delivery or client teams
• Identify and manage change using change control process
• Work with the resourcing team to make sure the right skills and capacity are in place for successful delivery
• Provide clear briefs for everyone working on your projects
• Support the translation of requirements into user stories which are clear and actionable to the team
• Lead key team ceremonies such as stand-ups, sprint planning, demos, and retrospectives, promoting an agile and collaborative environment
• Proactively track project progress against timelines and budgets (using a budget tracker and updating an overrun/burn report), ensuring updates and issues are flagged early, and overruns are mitigated and managed
• Identify and manage project risks, issues and dependencies, escalating when needed
• Create and maintain appropriate project governance for the size of project
• Ensure delivery outputs meet agreed quality standards and that delivery processes are followed and are ISO 9001 compliant
• Input to financial forecasting
• Work closely with delivery leads, project teams, and clients to keep communication clear, focused and productive
• Gain an understanding of your clients, their industry and the competitor landscape
• Build positive relationships with clients, internal teams, and partners to support smooth delivery
• Coordinate with third parties or vendors if required, under the guidance of a Delivery Lead
• Contribute to improving delivery processes by sharing ideas, identifying blockers, and suggesting ways of working better

Skills/experience:

• Experience managing digital projects with budgets of £100k+, including website builds and/or app development
• Proven track record in delivering to different project management methods
• Experience in client management
• Good understanding of commercial management of project budgets including estimating/planning resources, developing/managing budgets, and writing relevant project documentation
• Able to manage internal and client stakeholders to achieve optimal outcomes – agency experience is essential
• Strong all-round communication skills – written and verbal
• Ability to think calmly, clearly and objectively to resolve challenges
• Expertise in Microsoft Office 365 and solid experience of project management software and tools such as MS Project or
• Experience using AI tools would be nice to have
• SC cleared preferred but not essential, although need to be clearable

Behaviours:

• Charismatic and open personality
• Ability to work well under pressure with an objective focused and positive approach
• Curious, passion for digital and the application of technology
• A team player with the ability to coach and support to facilitate decision making
• Excellent communication skills across all mediums – presentation, written, verbal
• Good commercial acumen
• Problem-solving skills, analytical, fair and objective
• Strong client management skills
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Have a collaborative, supportive and team-based approach
• A commitment to quality, accuracy and driving improvements
• Calm and considered
• Resilient, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability

There will be travel required to the client's location occasionally and a requirement to work in the Bristol office for a minimum of two days a week. The remainder of the time can be remote. 

DIVERSITY STATEMENT 

Building diversity into our team isn’t just important to us as people, it is business critical.  

We design digital products and services for a diverse world, and so we want a diverse team who enable us to produce the best work for our clients.  

We don’t just celebrate differences; we want a team that is built upon them. A team that represents all sexual orientations, ethnicities, faiths, and gender expressions. Every person is welcome at Great State and we offer the appropriate support throughout anyone’s journey with us.  

Equally if you have a disability or a special need that requires accommodation or our attention, then we want you on our team, and we actively encourage you to apply. 

Build. Innovate. Inspire. Join Great State.